R56 Key Fob Disaster!
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2nd Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Key Fob Disaster!
Ok lets say a guy was to put his comfort access key into his DR Chipper running at high speed...would that be covered under warranty? Yes that's what I did today...don't ask! Yes it was an accident...
Unless you have the key replacement insurance that costs $350 IIRC (and allows you up to 10 new remotes to replace your "lost" ones) I'd say your hosed. I think they're $350 from MINI and either 15 or 30 minutes to program. Not cheap...check the marketplace or eBay. Good luck!
Losing your key fob to the chipper...$350.00. Losing your engagement ring down the drain at the local car wash...priceless!
Don't be too hard on yourself Cutty!
Don't be too hard on yourself Cutty!
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2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Central Valley CA
OUCH! I remember my dealer saying that in order to get another fob you had to order it, come back to pick it up since it takes time to get one fob to match the other fob. And when you do go back to get it, make sure you have your driver's licence. That is how my dealer explained it. It's all a security process. I could be wrong, but I remember thinking I better not lose my fobs. big $'s. ===Stacy
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,037
Likes: 283
From: Melbourne, FL
I actually got a new - non comfort - fob when one of mine went dead in 6 months.
I had to show d/l and registration as proof it was my car.
The FOB required no programming. As explained to me, a virgin FOB that has never associated with a vehicle will associate with the first vehicle it is inserted to. I took the FOB out of the package, stuck it in the dash and was good to go. Dealer says if the FOB was associate with another can THEN there is a re-programming required. I was on my way in a few minutes. They were even willing to simply mail the FOB to me saying if it did not work THEN come in for reprogramming, but I was heading over anyway. Seems sometimes they get one that HAS associated with a car.... (or maybe they can recycle 'em) btw - they had to order the FOB, it was not something they had on hand.
Note too - I only got the FOB not the physical key. So if you are wondering what stops someone with a blank FOB from stealing your car - well, you have to get into the car to insert the blank FOB. This could be done with the physical key, or the other FOB which only the owner should have. Hence the checking b4 they give you one (I hope anyway)
I had to show d/l and registration as proof it was my car.
The FOB required no programming. As explained to me, a virgin FOB that has never associated with a vehicle will associate with the first vehicle it is inserted to. I took the FOB out of the package, stuck it in the dash and was good to go. Dealer says if the FOB was associate with another can THEN there is a re-programming required. I was on my way in a few minutes. They were even willing to simply mail the FOB to me saying if it did not work THEN come in for reprogramming, but I was heading over anyway. Seems sometimes they get one that HAS associated with a car.... (or maybe they can recycle 'em) btw - they had to order the FOB, it was not something they had on hand.
Note too - I only got the FOB not the physical key. So if you are wondering what stops someone with a blank FOB from stealing your car - well, you have to get into the car to insert the blank FOB. This could be done with the physical key, or the other FOB which only the owner should have. Hence the checking b4 they give you one (I hope anyway)
I actually got a new - non comfort - fob when one of mine went dead in 6 months.
I had to show d/l and registration as proof it was my car.
The FOB required no programming. As explained to me, a virgin FOB that has never associated with a vehicle will associate with the first vehicle it is inserted to. I took the FOB out of the package, stuck it in the dash and was good to go. Dealer says if the FOB was associate with another can THEN there is a re-programming required. I was on my way in a few minutes. They were even willing to simply mail the FOB to me saying if it did not work THEN come in for reprogramming, but I was heading over anyway. Seems sometimes they get one that HAS associated with a car.... (or maybe they can recycle 'em) btw - they had to order the FOB, it was not something they had on hand.
Note too - I only got the FOB not the physical key. So if you are wondering what stops someone with a blank FOB from stealing your car - well, you have to get into the car to insert the blank FOB. This could be done with the physical key, or the other FOB which only the owner should have. Hence the checking b4 they give you one (I hope anyway)
I had to show d/l and registration as proof it was my car.
The FOB required no programming. As explained to me, a virgin FOB that has never associated with a vehicle will associate with the first vehicle it is inserted to. I took the FOB out of the package, stuck it in the dash and was good to go. Dealer says if the FOB was associate with another can THEN there is a re-programming required. I was on my way in a few minutes. They were even willing to simply mail the FOB to me saying if it did not work THEN come in for reprogramming, but I was heading over anyway. Seems sometimes they get one that HAS associated with a car.... (or maybe they can recycle 'em) btw - they had to order the FOB, it was not something they had on hand.
Note too - I only got the FOB not the physical key. So if you are wondering what stops someone with a blank FOB from stealing your car - well, you have to get into the car to insert the blank FOB. This could be done with the physical key, or the other FOB which only the owner should have. Hence the checking b4 they give you one (I hope anyway)
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,602
Likes: 107
From: Arizona
They should do the old SNL Bassomatic commercial with a fob lol. Or maybe with the chipper instead. The fact they cost almost $400 is really a ripoff if you think about it. It's a little chip with a battery in it. You get remotes with everything these days.
5th Gear
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From what I have read and heard(I thought I lost my spare C/A fob a few months back and did a lot of research) you have to have the fob programmed no matter what. Like what was said before if you got some virgin ones you could just go around stealing them. It has to be programmed with the VIN #. The one's on ebay can't be programmed. I asked my dealler and thats when I was told about the VIN # encoding.
How did it fall in the wood chipper?
How did it fall in the wood chipper?
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia
lol. Sorry for your loss.
You may be able to do what I pulled off once. I have a black lab. He's a jerk. In his lifetime, this dog has eaten or destroyed the following:
- cell phone
- palm pilot
- roll of underlay for laminate flooring
- back of a sofa
- full face downhill racing helmet
- 1 TB hard drive
- so, so, much more
With the cell phone, I begged for an upgrade price and got a moderate discount. With the full face helmet (worth about $300), I was able to get the crash replacement price of $80 by describing what had happened in great detail to the warranty rep.
Good luck!
You may be able to do what I pulled off once. I have a black lab. He's a jerk. In his lifetime, this dog has eaten or destroyed the following:
- cell phone
- palm pilot
- roll of underlay for laminate flooring
- back of a sofa
- full face downhill racing helmet
- 1 TB hard drive
- so, so, much more
With the cell phone, I begged for an upgrade price and got a moderate discount. With the full face helmet (worth about $300), I was able to get the crash replacement price of $80 by describing what had happened in great detail to the warranty rep.
Good luck!
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,578
Likes: 4
From: Paradise
